Advice on Phobos Captain, Smash Captain or Shrike

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

 

In case it influences your decision any, the chapter master upgrade does not work with comms relay. So you'll only ever be re-rolling 1s

It absolutely did Riddlesworth, thanks.  I asked a similar question about the chapter master upgrade and comms array on a reddit site and got educated on my oversight there.

 

As much as I want to use infiltrators with comms array to steal an objective with a bit of buffs via the phobos captain, it's become clear to me that such is a very situational thing and not worth building my Army around.  Now, rather than a phobos CPT being on the board to buff infiltrators at a distance (and then largely just buff whatever's within 6" and plink away for a bit), I'm seriously considering whether I want to run both a smash captain, and Shrike routine, with the infiltrators simply getting LT buffs when split out from the buff bubble.

 

The Biggest benefits of the Phobos captain are the ability to put him anywhere in range of your guys, the comms relay makes it possible to buff infiltrators while expanding your anti-deepstrike bubble and the fact that he also projects the same anti-DS bubble. Paired with some good backfield support you can keep him alive.

 

Characters are strong, but they're only support, the real work is done by other stuff. Infiltrators and Incursors and Scouts can cap objectives early and with some support stay there long enough to matter. Auto Bolt Rifle Intercessors can move and shoot the best of any of your other troops since they don't lose any shot output, stalker bolt rifle intercessors can stand on a backfield objective and put threat in the midfield, and are pretty killy. It's all going to depend on your strategy.

 

I like shrike, and I like Inceptors so I plan on running them as often as possible. I didn't know that flying devastators were a thing I wanted until primaris came out...

[Lukoi]

Thanks again folks, for all of the assistance. I'm finalizing a list I hope to put into action first week in June (as I slowly, terribly, paint models).

 

That being said, wanted clarification on something...for units like Shrike, or a Jumppack captain, held in reinforcement above the battlefield, can they deploy (more than 9" away from enemy of course) during your first turn? I've seen some differing takes on this from some (admittedly, probably out of date sources), but cannot tell for certain based on the books I have, and the games-workshop pages (FAQ, etc).

 

Any help here would be appreciated,as it impacts my list here as well :)

 

Edit: nevernind, found clarification via Big FAQ 2, confirming that tactically reserving any unit(s) means they cannot come in till turn 2, in matched play (barring the drop pod exemption).

Edited May 25, 2020 by Lukoi